Tess and Telly - Two Friends Separated

The original call came to AHS on Thursday, Feb. 21st as to 2 needy dogs on a porch in Newark. One was tied and one roamed freely. The 2 were featured on a WPIX Channel story/video. When AHS arrived on the scene, Newark Animal Control and a member of the NJ SPCA were already there. The NJ SPCA told us to" back off".

The German Shepherd was tied to a washing machine on a short leash. We were advised by neighborhood residents that the young male visited and played with Tess every day. The NJ SPCA told us to take the frightened and worried male.

He saw his female friend tied but he began to run about and was finally caught and brought to Associated Humane by the Newark Animal Control Officer. Contrary to what has been put on the internet, we are not a high-kill shelter; we do not euthanize senior dogs for space. We have a very low euthanasia rate -- much of which is senior citizens from the community who cannot afford vet fees to euthanize their own pets or extremely vicious dogs that failed evaluation and were unsafe to adopt out to families. Just log on to our home page and you will see what we do for lots of animals that come through our doors.

Sadly, Tess was then a lonely figure, tied in the yard, never to be visited by her bonded friend who would bring her various items in the yard that they could "play" with.

Now arrangements have been made by the NJ SPCA to have a rescue clean up the yard and put in a dog house -- but Tess and her bonded boy have been separated ... and those involved do not seem to care about the void that has taken place in their lives. Each had a trust for each other.

Now it appears that those in charge would rather have these dogs separated than allow the AHS to keep them together until a home can be found. This was a mean-spirited action to gain control of a dog who has lived in filthy,sub-standard solitude with only the companionship of a dog who was with her on a daily basis.

After being torn away from his best friend, this young male dog is now being given special attention after his harrowing chase.

It is our hope that public sentiment will prevail to ensure that these two dogs will be able to remain together rather than possibly be sent to a rescue in Pennsylvania if present plans to leave Tess where she is do not succeed. It seems the NJ SPCA wants to "educate" the owners.Tess has lived like this in poor quality for a long, long time -- through Hurricane Sandy -- how do you educate love and compassion?

Telly will be with AHS for a while and will rehabilitate a broken heart. Companionship for them is important because they have had little else. The memories of 2 dogs sitting on a porch together is a sad reminder that no one cared about both dogs.